Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 7
2nd Report - NAO financial audit insights 2024–25
Published 22 May 2026
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee NAO financial audit insights 2024-25 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
HMT told us that government bodies are legislatively required to publish their accounts by 31 January. While the vast majority meet this requirement, it aims for better than this by asking that accounts are published by summer recess. Eight of the larger government departments published after summer recess for 2024–25, of which four were said to have 7 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.2 and 1.4 8 C&AG’s Report, para 1.7 9 C&AG’s Report, para 1.8 10 Q 15; C&AG’s Report, para 1.9 11 C&AG’s Report, para 1.9 12 C&AG’s Report, para 1.8 13 C&AG’s Report, para 1.11 7 credible plans to move to pre-summer recess publication for 2025–26.14 HMT expects 70% of 2025–26 accounts to be published before summer recess in 2026.15
From: Public Accounts Committee, 2nd Report - NAO financial audit insights 2024–25 (HC 94), 22 May 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 4 August 2026 (deadline 22 July 2026).